Is the wine bar making a comeback? Pall Mall Fine Wines is giving it a bash February 5, 2015 The years have not been kind to the wine bar. Two decades ago it seemed there were three on every high street, offering a “sophisticated” alternative to the local boozer, where you could trot off to quaff some Chardonnay and talk about the hardships of the working week. As a journalist, I spent some of [...]
Lancaster backs new-look centre combination to stoke Wales win February 4, 2015 ENGLAND head coach Stuart Lancaster has backed his untested centre combination to overcome their lack of international exposure and defy their more experienced opponents during tomorrow’s Six Nations opener against Wales. Lancaster has suffered chronic injury woe and Kyle Eastmond, Manu Tuilagi and Brad Barritt are all ruled out of the clash, so Bath’s Jonathan [...]
Lancaster hails Easter’s experience ahead of international comeback February 3, 2015 ENGLAND head coach Stuart Lancaster insists the experience of veteran No8 Nick Easter could prove pivotal as his side bid to make the perfect Six Nations start in Friday’s opener with Wales at the Millennium Stadium. Easter is among 25 players recalled ahead of the clash in Cardiff and is set to be named on [...]
Lancaster burning with desire for England to land Six Nations title February 2, 2015 ENGLAND head coach Stuart Lancaster admits banishing the burden of a four-year wait for a Six Nations crown is the principal objective as his side prepare for Friday’s championship curtain-raiser against Wales. Lancaster has presided over three successive runners-up finishes since taking the reins from Martin Johnson in 2012, and last year England agonisingly missed [...]
US corporate results round up January 29, 2015 Blackstone Group ASSET manager Blackstone Group reported a six per cent decline in profit in the fourth quarter of 2014. Meanwhile distributable earnings, which show actual cash available to pay dividends, rose by 38 per cent to $1.13bn (£750m), as Blackstone continued to bring in cash by selling assets. The company’s president Tony James revealed [...]
Will robots take over the world? Science fiction explores the rise of the machines January 28, 2015 Get ready to bow down before your new mechanical overlords – everyone from Stephen Hawking to Elon Musk are warning of the dangers of intelligent machines. We look to science fiction for the likely outcome. ROBOCOP (1987) Sanctimonious, violent but ultimately just, at least we know a future run by Robocop would be fair. [...]
Lancaster urges Cipriani to seize his chance after Farrell ruled out January 27, 2015 ENGLAND head coach Stuart Lancaster has thrown down the gauntlet to his remaining fly-halves after Owen Farrell was last night ruled out of the entire Six Nations campaign with a knee injury. Bath No10 George Ford is expected to start against Wales in the Six Nations curtain-raiser at the Millennium Stadium a week on Friday [...]
Labour leads in London but Greens could derail a Miliband victory January 26, 2015 Labour could be on course to win eight of its London target seats, according to a new poll released today. Historically a Labour city, a good performance in London is crucial to a Labour win in May. According to a YouGov poll conducted for the Evening Standard puts Labour 10 points ahead of the Tories [...]
Bain Capital set to snap up UK car parts maker TI Automotive January 26, 2015 AMERICAN private equity giant Bain Capital is on the verge of tying up a deal for UK car parts manufacturer TI Automotive, it emerged yesterday. The US raider, an alternative investment firm that was co-founded by 2012 US presidential candidate Mitt Romney, is thought likely to complete the acquisition this week. The Oxford-based TI is [...]
Lancaster backs Easter’s Test revival January 21, 2015 ENGLAND head coach Stuart Lancaster insists he never closed the door on veteran Harlequins No8 Nick Easter after ending his international exile yesterday by selecting him in the training squad for the opening Six Nations clash with Wales. Lancaster has named a 34-man party ahead of the Millennium Stadium curtain-raiser on 6 February which also [...]